- Over 200 fatalities attributed to monsoon downpours in Pakistan
In Pakistan, over 215 lives have been claimed since the commencement of the monsoon season in July. Approximately half of these fatalities were children, as per the national disaster management authority's reports. The hardest-hit provinces include the densely populated Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, situated in the northwestern part of the country. The Pakistani Meteorological Department predicts more heavy downpours in the upcoming days.
Local rescue teams have been moving residents from flooded towns in the south of the country by boat, as reported by a regional official. Authorities in the bustling southern city of Karachi are on high alert, a spokesperson from the information ministry revealed, due to the impending rainfalls and potential floods.
Heavy rainfall is a common occurrence in Pakistan during the monsoon season, which lasts from July to September. However, experts attribute the increase in extreme weather events to the climate crisis. Last summer, Pakistan faced a devastating flood disaster, temporarily submerging nearly a third of the country and causing the deaths of 1,700 people.
Children in Pakistan have unfortunately become vulnerable victims of the monsoon season, with reports indicating that approximately half of the 215 lives lost since July being children. Despite the city of Karachi being generally unaffected by heavy downpours and flooding, authorities there are on high alert, anticipating potential floods due to the impending rainfalls during the monsoon season.
